Beginner Drill To Improve Passing Technique and Catching

The following Free-Throw Lane 4 Corner Passing Drill is effective because it not only develops fundamental passing ability, but it also adds multiple different movements and forces your players to focus on the many actions going on around them.

When teaching players a new passing drill, coaches typically use exercises that center only on form and crisp passing fundamentals. While this is very important to developing passing skills, one important aspect can be forgotten. In a real game situation, there are many variables that contribute to successful passing. These variables consist of teammates who are constantly in motion, the defense floating in and out of passing lanes and many other aspects your passers have to be aware of.

Step 1:

The drill begins with your team breaking up into four
lines, one at each of the four corners of the free-throw
lane. To become familiar with the pattern, your team
should start with just one ball. As shown on the right,
player 1 will begin with the ball. #1 will pass up the
lane to #2 and will follow the pass and run toward #2.

Step 2:

Player #2 will catch the pass from #1 and immediately
pass the ball back to player #1.

Step 3:

Player #1 will catch the return pass from #2. At this
point, player #1 should now be within arm's length from
#2. #1 will then hand off the ball to #2 and move to the
back of the line behind #6.

Step 4:

Player #2 receives the handoff from #1 and then passes
the ball across the lane to player #3. As soon as 2 passes
to #3, player #2 will follow the pass and run to where 3 is
on the right elbow. Just as in step 2 above, player #3 will
catch the pass from #2 and immediately pass the ball
back to player #2. Following step 3 above, player #2 will
catch the return pass from #3 and then hand off the ball
to #3 and move to the back of the line behind #7.

This drill continues by moving in a counter clockwise
motion as shown in the three diagrams on the right. The
drill keeps the same pattern the entire time – pass, pass
back and handoff. #3 will use this pattern with #4. Then
#4 will do the same with #5 and so on.

Step 5 (Add Another Ball):

Once your players feel comfortable with the drill using
one ball, you can increase the tempo by adding a
second ball. To begin with this increased difficulty,
start with the basketballs in diagonal corners. As shown
in the diagram to the right, you can start with players #1
and #3 as your first passers.

Just like with one basketball, your players will use the
same pattern of pass, pass back and handoff, following
in a counter clockwise motion.

Step 6 (Add Third Ball):

To make things even more difficult, you can add a third
basketball. In this case, players #1, #2 and #3 will begin
as passers. Instead of #1 passing to #2, player #1 will
now pass to player #6. At the same time, player #2 will
pass to player #7 and player #3 will pass to player #4.

Adding a third basketball will likely create confusion
for your players. This will simulate game situations
where there are multiple variables going on at one time.

Encourage your team to focus on the same pattern
as above. Just like with one or two basketballs, your
players will follow the same pattern of pass, pass back and handoff, repeating in a counter clockwise motion.

This drill works your players’ minds, passing ability and conditioning.

You can see the drill in action by watching this video that I found on youtube:

why not have players after pass go to outside ie., right side as pass goes out from right block; left side if coming up from opposite side passing. I believe drill runs smoother that way; on inside player who passes, and going to end of line, blocks momentarily the next pass.